5 Best Connecticut State Parks To Go Camping

The New England state of Connecticut is replete with natural beauty and fantastic parks. The state parks you can find in Connecticut are some of the more unique and exciting in the region. Each park has its own special feel and atmosphere that you cannot find in other parts of the United States. Thanks to the small size of Connecticut, you will be able to get around to these parks with relative ease and will also be only a few hours away from one of the major urban centers in the area if need be. 

Gillette Castle State Park

The stunning Gillette Castle State Park is located right along the scenic Connecticut River. This park is certainly on the smaller side in terms of area, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for it with the number of attractions and places to explore. The most obvious aspect of the park is, of course, Gillette Castle. The castle was first constructed by William Hooker Gillette, an esteemed actor of his day, in the late 19th century. The castle overlooks a beautiful estate and gardens that are well-kept by an outstanding group of groundskeepers. Tours of the castle were off limit all of 2022, but as of May of this year, visitors are free to explore the incredible building on their own or with a tour guide. 

Beyond the walls of Gillette Castle are three great campsites where visitors can spend the night and take in the surrounding area's natural beauty. The campsites are not open all year round, though. If you want to spend the night at Gillette Castle State Park, you can only do so between May 1 and September 30. 

Hammonasset Beach State Park

Hammonasset Beach is the perfect place to go if you want to get away from the more typical forested campsite and branch out into something quite unusual for state parks. It is not very common to have a campsite right along a beach so staying here for a weekend with friends and family is certainly going to offer something new. 

All of the regular beach activities can be found at Hammonasset Beach State Park. Surfing, boating, and soaking in the sun are all available here. Cookouts and BBQs are quite common here too. Chances are you will run into entire family gatherings looking to spend the weekend at the beach with loved ones. Spending the night here is no hassle, either. There are more than 500 separate grassy areas for you to set up a tent or park an RV. Campgrounds are open between May 26 and October 9. 

Sleeping Giant State Park

Only a short trip north of New Haven is the majestic Sleeping Giant State Park. Sleeping Gaint is the perfect place to go if you want to go on relaxing hikes and witness breathtaking views of the New Haven and Long Island areas. Many visitors come to Sleeping Giant for its breathing taking views of the surrounding scenery and to fish in the nearby streams and ponds that dot the park. It is so close to the city yet so far from resembling any kind of urban jungle. It is a great mix of both worlds. 

Sleeping Giant Park is not known as a camping hotspot, which is why it makes it such a great place to go to escape the sometimes crowded and cramped campsites of other state parks in the area. Officially the campgrounds are only open to youth groups and other similar organizations.

Rocky Neck State Park

Just across the water from Long Island is the chalk-white sands of Rocky Neck State Park. Another oceanside park, much of the area is filled with some of the best beaches in the New England region. All kinds of people flock to this park each summer to enjoy picnics, saltwater fishing, and hiking. Rocky Neck has been an incredibly popular destination for more than 100 years, and once you visit, it is not hard to see why.

The camping here is excellent as well. Each campsite here is equipt with firepits and basic some semblance of privacy. Due to the park's popularity, each campsite must be reserved ahead of time, which can be done easily on the park's website. The hassle of booking a spot here is certainly worth it in the end. Having easy access to your own private spot within a stone's throw of the beach is hard to beat. 

Devil's Hopyard State Park

Just a quick drive north of Rocky Neck, Devils Hopyard State Park is the place to go if you want to spend your time in the more common wooded setting that most parks in the United States are situated in. 

Devil's Hopyard is one of the larger parks in Connecticut and has much more space available for vehicles and multiple guests than some of the other nearby locations. That being said, while each campsite is quite spacious there are not that many of them. There are only 21 campsites within the park, so you will likely need to book ahead of time to save yourself a spot. The main attraction at Devil's Hopyard is the breathtaking Chapman Falls. A short hike through the park from the campsite can access these stunning falls. The hike might be a tad challenging for novice hikers, but it will undoubtedly be worth the struggle once they get there. 

If you are a Connecticut resident or live in the surrounding area, check out some of these fantastic parks this summer. Each of these parks is the perfect place to spend a great weekend with friends and family. Connecticut is not really known as a state that caters to outdoor enthusiasts but secretly hides some of the most underrated and unknown parks in the New England region.